Common Name(s): Oligopeptide-9,oligopeptide signal peptide,anti-aging skin active

CAS Number: N/a

DESCRIPTION

What It Does: Oligopeptide-9 activates or modulates specific dermal cell receptors to stimulate collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid production while inhibiting matrix metalloproteinases (mmps) that degrade the dermal matrix — the combined anabolic and anti-catabolic action increasing dermal protein density, improving skin firmness and elasticity, and visibly reducing wrinkle depth with regular use.

Why It's Used: Formulators choose oligopeptide-9 for its precision pharmacology — the defined oligopeptide amino acid sequence targets a specific receptor binding site or enzyme active site with selectivity that broad-spectrum actives cannot provide. at standard use concentrations (1–5000 ppm), the peptide provides measurable fibroblast stimulation in in-vitro assays translating to clinician-visible anti-aging outcomes in 8–12 week clinical studies. the oligopeptide length is optimised for the balance of sc penetration (shorter peptides penetrate more readily) and receptor specificity (longer peptides provide more binding site complementarity).

How It Works: Oligopeptide-9 works through receptor-mediated signal transduction specific to its amino acid sequence: the peptide binds to cognate receptors on keratinocytes or fibroblasts — typically tgf-β receptors (for collagen propeptide-derived sequences), egf receptors (for growth factor-mimetic sequences), or integrin receptors (for ecm-interaction sequences like rgd). receptor binding activates intracellular kinase cascades (map kinase, pi3k-akt, or smad pathways) leading to transcription factor activation (ap-1, nf-kb in repair context, smad2/3 for tgf-β pathway) and subsequent upregulation of collagen (col1a1, col1a2, col3a1), fibronectin, and hyaluronan synthase genes alongside downregulation of mmp-1 and mmp-3. the net effect is increased dermal matrix synthesis and decreased degradation — the fundamental mechanism of anti-aging dermal remodelling. penetration through the sc is driven by passive diffusion with logp and molecular weight determining partition coefficient and diffusion rate.

Typically Found In: Premium anti-aging serums,collagen stimulating products

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Primary Category: Active ingredient – signal peptide

Secondary Functions: Collagen stimulation,skin firming,anti-aging

Application Areas:

Typical Concentration Range: 1–5000 ppm

SOURCING & ETHICS

Vegan Status: Yes

Halal Status: Yes

Source Notes: Synthetically produced by solid-phase peptide synthesis (spps). may be palmitoylated for stability.

SKIN COMPATIBILITY

Irritancy Rating: 1/5 – very low

Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 – non-comedogenic

Sensitivity Concerns: Non-irritating; suitable for all skin types.

Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes

SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY

Safety Profile: Exceptional safety profile. ewg score: 1.

Works Well With: Hyaluronic acid,ceramides,retinol,vitamin c,niacinamide

Avoid Combining With: Avoid mixing with high-concentration ahas at same ph (may hydrolyze peptide bonds)

SCIENTIFIC NOTE

Sc penetration molecular weight threshold: the franz cell permeation effective mw cutoff for hydrophilic peptides through intact sc is approximately 500 da. a oligopeptide (typical mw 400–2500 da depending on sequence) sits at or above this threshold — explaining why lipid-modified forms (palmitoyl, myristoyl) that increase logp by +3–4 units are so commercially important for penetration-limited peptide sequences. lipid modification converts a water-soluble, sc-impermeant peptide (logp ~-2) to a lipid-compatible amphiphile (logp +1 to +2) that partitions into sc lipid bilayers, with measured permeation 10–100× higher than unmodified equivalent sequence.

Last Verified: 2026-03-12

Primary Sources: Cosing database,oligopeptide-9 peptide signal mechanism review